Streetbees

Working with EmpowerRD

Following an initial consultation with EmpowerRD, Alex realised the importance of implementing best practices for gathering information to maintain compliance. This helped Alex to establish regular check-ins with the tech team to log project details from beginning to end throughout the year:

“I logged all the staff costs, all the consumable costs, and had regular check-ins with the tech team throughout the year.”

Over time, Alex smoothed out cost reporting using tools like Jira and Trello, building trust within the tech team for these records.

Breaking down silos

Streetbees believes in strong cross-team collaboration. Alex says, “You really need to educate them (the team) on the process and that it’s going to happen.” Clear communication and setting expectations were key to achieving this.

Bridging gaps between teams, especially when it came to finance, was a challenge:

“Finance is also hard to talk to the rest of the business about because everyone has a different view. But I think when you’ve given them that upfront warning, it’s easier to have those conversations because they know it’s really important to a business of our size.”

By educating and informing teams early, Streetbees laid the foundation for collaboration across the business.

Expertise and ongoing support from EmpowerRD

EmpowerRD has been instrumental in helping Streetbees optimise and maintain compliance for their R&D claims. By combining expert R&D guidance with a robust intuitive platform, EmpowerRD provided Alex and the team with an effective framework to manage claims seamlessly:

“Working with EmpowerRD has given me that touchpoint to catch up and work out if there’s anything that needs to be communicated to the business.”

EmpowerRD’s proactive approach to staying ahead of legislative changes offers invaluable peace of mind:

“It’s really important for us to have that key advice from a proper consultancy firm.”

EmpowerRD’s platform also integrates seamlessly with tools like Xero, making it easier to streamline processes and save time:

“Having Xero integrated with the EmpowerRD system is really useful. It means there’s less manual work to be done. As long as all of your systems are speaking to each other, that also saves loads of time on the claim process.”

Alex further highlights that EmpowerRD’s focused approach ensures claims receive the dedicated attention they need:

“They’ve got experience from prior claims, know what could be rejected, what could be accepted, and know how to make sure that everything’s compliant. Whereas if someone’s doing it as an add-on to their service package, it’s not going to get that full attention.”

This combination of expert advice, streamlined technology, and focused support ensures claims are optimised while compliance risks are minimised. This allows Streetbees to focus on innovation without worrying about potential pitfalls in the claims process.

Long-term partnership

The partnership between Streetbees and EmpowerRD has grown out of mutual trust, consistency, and shared aspirations for excellence. Over time and across 8 claims, this relationship has given Alex and his team access to historical claims data to ensure accuracy and continuity on each claim.

One of the most significant outcomes of this partnership is that Streetbees has not faced a single compliance check from HMRC since working with EmpowerRD, a testament to the robust processes both teams have in place:

“Using an agency or external provider gives the CEO a bit more comfort because you’re reducing the risk of rejection or investigation.”

EmpowerRD’s support extends beyond compliance. Their expertise ensures that cash inflows—critical for running a business—are optimised, providing additional reassurance to senior stakeholders:

“I think it benefits me because, obviously, you’ve got someone to ask questions to and get advice. It benefits the company in terms of the cash inflow that’s maximised by using an external company. And it also gives a bit more comfort to the senior stakeholders.”

🎯 Results and key takeaways

A long-term partnership for R&D success

Streetbees teamed up with EmpowerRD to get the most out of their R&D tax credits, and the results speak for themselves. With technology powered by in-house expertise and hands-on support, EmpowerRD helped Streetbees optimise their claims, stay fully compliant, and fuel their growth. 

For businesses looking to simplify the R&D claims process and make the most of what’s available, Streetbees’ experience shows just how valuable it can be to work with a specialist like EmpowerRD.